- Faith Plus Programs and Prison: If you are determining people’s fate, you should have more faith then hate. I live by the edict, “love your neighbor like you love yourself”. Sentence recommendations will be based on compassion and accountability.
- Bring Crime Down: One might ask, how does a prosecutor bring crime down, I thought they just prosecute. A county prosecutor can help bring crime down with policies, programs, compassion and accountability. I would accomplish this by making sure those repeat offenders do not get another chance to reoffend. By sending a message to the community that certain crimes will not be tolerated. People need to know ones home is the most sacred place one can have. You cross that threshold, you will lose your housing for years to come. People need to know if you bring a gun to the street in ill will, you will be taken off the street. That children are our future and we will protect them accordingly. No second chances for child crimes. They are lucky I don't have the death penalty as an option. Non violent offenders and drug users will know, our office has compassion and will provide the opportunity to get better. People will know you can either be sober at home, or be sober in prison but they will have an opportunity at recovery if they shall chose. People will respect and care for the prosecutors office. In representing criminal clients, one things I have always loved, are those clients that want to make you proud, prove to you giving them a chance was the right thing to do and in turn one good deed turns into a ripple effect.
- Life for a Life: No negotiations for murders absent legal justification or mitigation.
- Child crimes will be punished to the fullest extent permitted by law. Some crimes are unforgiveable.
- School threats will be treated like terrorism: My Dad always told me, be careful what you think. Thoughts become words, and words become actions. People that threatened school need to be locked up and treated much more severely. Our children are our future, and they must be protected.
- Human Trafficking will be punished to the fullest extent permitted by law. People will know with this new prosecutor, Franklin County is a place where they can be safe and if they are violated, although we cannot take away the pain, we will take away the defendant as long as the law permits.
- Handling Juvenile Proceedings Differently: I love working in Juvenile Court because of the focus on rehabilitation. But Rehabilitation is not the same as Repeat. People deserve second chances, but not third and fourth. Additionally, some crimes are so bad second chances are not permitted. Further, not only would my office focus on the juvenile, but the parents as well. Programs would be designed to correct the problem, not just mask it. All children are born good.
- Bail Reform: Prosecutors have influence on the Judges’ decisions at bail hearing. The real purpose of bail is to secure the person’s appearance and protect the public. Not to drain their savings account, keep them locked up, inhibit their ability to hire a lawyer and fill the jails. As county prosecutor there will be more reasonable bails for low level offenders, first time offenders, non-violent offenders and requests for the highest possible bail for the most egregious crimes that are supported by evidence.
- Community Service, Faith Based Programs and Fines: There will be an emphasis on penalties involving community service in every case. Fines when reasonable to help fund the rehabilitation programs. As a defense attorney, 90% of my clients had two traits in common. Lack of Faith and lack of Family. Although we cannot make people attend church, they won’t be deterred but encouraged.
- More Opportunities for People to Be Rehabilitated. Prison should primarily be for violent criminals and repeat offenders. Diversion programs will be set up to assist with focusing on not only the problem, but the pain leading to such issues. You don’t need just tools but substitutes.
- Home is Where the Heart Is: If you break into someone’s home, you will have a new home for several years. Your home is your castle and will be respected as such.
- White Collar Crimes are crimes too. Too often I see excuses that no one was hurt. Loss of finances and savings can hurt much longer than a punch. Such crimes will not go unpunished and there will be importance stressed on restitution and resting in jail.
- Drugs: When it comes to drugs, those people committing crimes to get drugs will be punished more severely than those who are merely hurting themselves. Prosecutors will be encouraged to advise defense counsels that what happens during the pendency of the case matters. Pretrial programs will be created if they do not already exist that will be geared to give an accused an opportunity to show one’s desire to rehabilitate. Alternative resolutions to prison will be encouraged if certain factors are met such as the level of the crime, prior record, victims blessing.
- Fair Trials Are More Important Than Winning. A focus on fairness instead of winning. I will create an environment where lawyers want to ask me for help, opposed to feeling that if they ask for help it’s a sign of weakness. As County Prosecutor our goal will be to give the jury all the evidence and each person a fair trial. There will be punishments for unethical behavior and shady lawyering.
- Lie Detectors Work: Throughout my career I have used lie detector tests to exonerate clients. Sometimes the prosecutors will tell me, let me check with my boss and see what the policy is. My policy will be to save resources, if someone wants to take a test, it can be used. It’s a two way street. If they pass the case is over, if they fail, they will get more time.
- Jailers Will Work: I will work with congress and the county sheriff's office to figure out a way to have inmates work. Sitting around all day isn’t helping anyone. They could be learning new trade skills or cleaning up the streets of Franklin County.
- No One Is Above the Law. People will be prosecuted based on conduct, not excused based on money, power or profession. People in positions of power will be treated much more severely.
- Advice and Counsel: One of my job duties is to provide legal advice and counsel to all county elected officials and county departments. Providing advice is the easiest part of my job. Always tell the truth and do not be afraid to ask someone smarter about a question if I do not know the answer. One of the great privileges of being a County Prosecutor is being surrounded by experienced, self-educated bright minded colleagues.
- Advice and Counsel to Police: I understand some cases can be dismissed due to constitutional violations. I think it would be important to have County Prosecutor officers feel comfortable getting advice from them to do better. I am a student of law and know people’s constitutional rights inside and out. I will help strengthen the police force with being educated. This will also help instill public trust with the citizens being treated fairer and more effective prosecution of cases.
- Before Charges Are Filed Department: As all practicing attorneys in Franklin County know, a lot of cases get dismissed for futures since drugs and guns need to be tested. During those lapses in time, I will create a department to allow counsels to negotiate cases for clients who want to accept responsibility prior to cases going to grand jury. This would provide opportunities for cases to be resolved quicker and easier.
- Prison Is Not for Children Unless Murder Or Attempted Murder Charges: In running for this position, I was shocked to find out that over the past 10 years in Ohio, each year according to the Columbus Dispatch 158 to just over 200 teenagers are sent to prison. My first thought was, no way are there that many murders. That is a leadership problem. This will not happen under my administration. At 18 a person is no longer subject to the juvenile system. If you commit a crime under the age of 18, the juvenile system under the most extreme circumstances can hold a child up to the age of 21. So to give up on a child at the age of 15, 16 or 17, when the system can have another 4 years shocks my moral consciousness. I have spent my career keeping juveniles in the system absent murder or attempted murder's. In the system does not always been probation, but it means being locked up at a facility that is intended to punish, not destroy. Putting teenagers with grown man is a form of torture. "Youth in adult facilities are five times more likely to be sexually assaulted, eight times more likely to die by suicide, and nearly twice as likely to be beaten by staff or attacked with a weapon by another inmate, according to the Children’s Law Center, a national nonprofit legal center that works for kids’ rights." As the Franklin County Prosecutor, I will rule with compassion and accountability. Children will be punished, not victimized.
"Bringing the hammer down when needed"!
